By Sarah E. Treptow
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea– Over 700 West Papuans living in Papua New Guinea are returning home to the Indonesian side of the border even though there are claims they face human rights abuses.  The Indonesian Embassy in Port Moresby will begin flying the West Papuans to Vanimo on PNG’s coast next month and will then drive them across the border to their former homes.  Hakim Abdul from the embassy said the voluntary repatriations were happening because conditions in West Papua had steadily improved since 2001.

Mr. Abdul said, “It’s good news as they now want to go home after learning about life in West Papua from friends and family, even reading the internet.”  The Indonesian government would pay for the repatriation and was working with PNG’s government about the issue.

Felix Meraudje from the West Papua National Congress based in Port Moresby said it was a publicity stunt.  Mr. Meraudje said, “It’s publicity to show Indonesia is good.”  He continued, “These people who have chosen to go back are frustrated with the lack of results from the United Nations to place us outside of PNG.”  He said 10,000 to 20,000 West Papuans who fled their homes on the Indonesian side because of persecution by authorities that lived throughout PNG.

Many of the West Papuans fled originally to escape separatist violence.

For more information, please see:
Pacific Islands Report – 700 West Papuans to Return From Papua New Guinea – 12 January 2009

Radio New Zealand International – Hundreds of Papuans in PNG gear up for repatriation to Indonesia – 09 January 2009

The Sydney Morning Herald – Indonesia bringing 700 West Papuans home – 09 January 2009

Hayley J. Campbell
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

JAYAPURA, Papua – A High Court in Papua has sentenced 11 peaceful protesters to prison for waving a banned flag.

Jack Wanaggai was among the activists arrested in March 2007 for participating in a peaceful demonstration in support of Papua’s independence from Indonesia. The Indonesian government has harshly condemned separatist demonstrations including waving flags containing separatist symbols.

Indonesia’s criminal code strictly prohibits the display of the Morning Star Flag in Papua, the South Maluku Republic Benang Raja flag in Ambon, and the Crescent Moon flag in Aceh. Activists caught displaying such flags may receive as much as life in prison.

Wanggai’s lawyer, Yan Christian Warinussy said that, “the activists were carrying out peaceful demonstrations … and they brought the Morning Star flag.”

On Thursday, a High Court in Jayapura, Papua’s provincial capital, increased the sentences of the 11 Papuan activists. Wangggai received a three and a half year prison sentence, while the other 10 protestors received three years.

Separatist protests and demonstrations for independence have long marked Papua’s history. Once a Dutch colony on New Guinea’s western end, Papua became Indonesia’s largest province in 1969. Violence erupted in 2003 after President Megawati Sukarnoputri separated Papua into three provinces: Central Irian Jaya (Irian Jaya Tengah), Papua (or East Irian Jaya, Irian Jaya Timur), and West Irian Jaya (Irian Jaya Barat).

The separation has divided Papuans who accuse the Indonesian military of violating human rights. In addition, many Papuans complain that the money earned from Papua’s natural resources mostly ends up profiting Jakarta. As a result, Papuans have campaigned peacefully for their independence.

For more information, please see:
Sydney Morning Herald – Indonesia jails 11 Papuans over flag – 09 January 2009

Radio New Zealand International – 11 Papuans jailed in Indonesia for separatist activities – 09 January 2009

Jakarta Globe National – Verdicts Upheld for Morning Star Raisers – 09 January 2009

PAPEETE, French Polynesia– France has signed a deal with French Polynesia to spend over 80 million US dollars to clean up Hao, an atoll that was a key military base during the thirty years of nuclear weapons testing in the South Pacific.  France quit nuclear weapons testing in 1996 but continues to be blamed by veterans for failing to compensate those who suffered poor health because of exposure to the nuclear blasts.

The agreement was signed by the French high commissioner in Papeete, Adolphe Colrat, the French Polynesian vice-president, Jules Ienfa, and the mayor of Hao.  Mr. Colrat told RFO radio that the process will take seven years and the financial commitment will be ten times that of what has been dispersed to Hao so far.  He added that this shows France keeps its commitments and will help the development of Hao.

For more information, please see:

Radio New Zealand International – France to spend US $80m to clean up Hao after end of nuclear weapons tests – 09 January 2009

By Hayley J. Campbell
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

SUVA, Fiji – Fiji’s interim prime minister has announced he will not make good on his promise to hold democratic elections in 2009, even if the European Union withholds hundreds of millions in funds for Fiji’s ailing sugar industry.

Interim prime minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, says that his vision for Fiji will not be compromised, regardless of the consequences.

Bainimarama’s statements are in response to criticism of his decision to re- re-assign management of the sugar industry to the Prime Minister’s Office. Ousted prime minister, Laisenia Qarase, stated on Tuesday, that the re-re-assignment will not save the industry, but restoring democracy might.

In response, Bainimarama has accused Qarase’s government of sitting idly by for six years while the sugar industry faced expiring land leases.

If Bainimarama refuses to restore democracy at the polls before 2009, Fiji may lose out on $200 million in EU funds.

For more information, please see:
Radio New Zealand International – Fiji regime rules out 2009 election, risking loss of massive EU assistance – 07 January 2009

Fiji Daily Post News – Qarase did nothing for sugar – 07 January 2009

Fiji Times – Millions lost – 08 January 2009

By Sarah E. Treptow
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

SUVA, Fiji – A political analyst with the Australian National University, Dr. Brij Lal, who is a co-architect of Fiji’s current Constitution, believes the advice given to Fiji’s interim Prime Minister, Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama, is counterproductive.  Dr. Lal made the comments after the recent expulsion of Caroline Macdonald, New Zealand’s High Commissioner to Fiji.

Dr. Lal said that Fiji will not gain anything by punishing Australia and New Zealand, “I don’t know who is advising the Prime Minister but the advice he’s getting is really counterproductive to Fiji’s long-term interest in the region.”  He thinks Fiji sees the two countries as the principal players in the anti-interim government move.  He said, “I think this is a shortsighted view because it’s not really Australia and New Zealand but the international community that is looking for some movement on the part of Fiji to restore the country back to parliamentary democracy.”  Dr. Lal said the only hope of Fiji holding elections any time soon was if the interim Prime Minister took up the United Nation’s offer to mediate the next political forum early in the New Year.  He said, “this initiative by the UN is something the government should look at very carefully because it doesn’t have too many options left.”

Interim Attorney-General, Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum, has brushed aside these comments and has urged Dr. Lal to not make comments that are “weak on facts.”  Mr. Sayed Khaiyum said that there are a number of options available to take Fiji forward.  He said that, “while Lal claims adherence to the principle of the rule of law, he fails to recognize the ruling of the High Court.”  The ruling he is referring to is the holding that the appointment of the interim Government was valid in law and legal.

Mr. Sayed Khaiyum said Fiji “shall put in place forward-looking measures that will provide long-term stability, prosperity, equality, common citizenry and true parliamentary democracy.”  He said he thinks it appears as that Lal was “currying favor with the Government of the country of his citizenship which was Australia at the expense of Fiji.”

For more information, please see:
Fiji Daily Post – A-G slams academic’s take on Fiji – 6 January 2009

Pacific Islands Report – Fiji Scholar Says Bainimarama Acting on Poor Advice – 5 January 2009

Radio Australia – Fiji finishing 2008 on a disappointing note – 2 January 2009